AUKUS carry out drills simulating conflict with Russia in Europe
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Troops from AUKUS practice joint actions in the event of a possible conflict in the Pacific and Europe.
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The second part of the exercise took place in the US military base at Fort Irwin in California, with the participation of 450 UK elite troops.
Troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia took part in a joint military exercise in the Mojave desert in the US, simulating a "Russian attack" on Europe, media reported on Friday.
According to The Times newspaper, the Project Convergence military drills were conducted in two phases. During the first stage, the forces of the three countries practiced joint actions in the event of a possible conflict in the Pacific, with the second stage focusing on a large-scale conflict in Europe.
The newspaper indicated that the second part of the exercise took place in the US military base at Fort Irwin in California, with the participation of 450 UK elite troops.
During the training, forces showcased and experimented with new military equipment, including long-range fires, unmanned aerial systems, autonomous fighting vehicles, and next-generation sensors, The Times added.
It is noteworthy that the US, the UK, and Australia have been closely cooperating in the military area for several years, as they announced a trilateral defense partnership called AUKUS in September 2021.
The first initiative announced under the AUKUS pact was the creation of nuclear-powered submarine technology for the Royal Australian Navy. The three countries also conduct regular joint exercises.
On Tuesday, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced during a speech at a university in Canberra that his country's upcoming defense strategy will include developing and deploying nuclear-powered submarines to protect the country far from its mainland.
According to Marles, Australia will collaborate with the US and the UK within the AUKUS partnership to establish a submarine fleet.
In late October, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the US is prepared to deploy up to six B-52 bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons in northern Australia, amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan.
The presence of bombers that might potentially "attack mainland China could be very important in sending a signal to China that any of its actions over Taiwan could also expand further," according to Becca Wasser of the Washington-based Center for a New American Security think tank.
